# Regional Beers



## fitzsmoke (Mar 9, 2006)

I would like to know what regional or local beers you remember drinking or seeing "Uncle Bob" drink that may or may not still exist. Brands like Carling Black Label, Heidelburg, Lucky Lager, Blitz, Pearl, Falstaff, Jax, etc. before the biggies swallowed them up. Maybe include a mini-review with your favs.

I remember Jax beer at the Ft. Sill, Oklahoma E.M. club for two bottles (long necks) for 25 cents. You could drink it all evening and never seemed to get a buzz. One side effect was you did lose your hearing. Could have been the noise level though. Live rock bands.:u


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## jgros001 (Jun 14, 2005)

National Bohemian, ie Natty Boh. Used to be made in Maryland, now production has moved to PA and been bought out by a big company (not sure which one). A personal fave cheap beer, still in production. Used to be made in gernades - great bottle shape...wish more beers came in that format (Red Stripe does but I can't stand the stuff). "from the land of pleasant living"


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## fitzsmoke (Mar 9, 2006)

Never heard of Natty Boh but Heidleburg came in a grenade bottle (they called it a "keg" bottle) for a while. Really liked that size bottle.


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## SeanGAR (Jul 9, 2004)

Olands Export Ale in stubbies (red stripe's bottle). It really annoyed me when they started using the American style bottles.


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

Any of you guys west of the Mississippi see Bell's from Kalamazoo, Michigan on the shelves? They've been slowly widening distribution. Not sure if they qualify as a regional anymore, but some damn fine beer. They used to release a bunch of November stouts, but misstepped one year when they released 14. A few of the brews with nicer packaging and more acceessible profiles made it in to their regular line -- cherry stout and java stout. But the best of the bunch -- IMO -- got left behind: Trumpeter's Stout. One of the best stouts I ever had. I still e-mail them periodically pleading my case for its reintroduction.


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## D. Generate (Jul 1, 2004)

Growing up in Seattle it was all Lucky Lager, Olympia and Rainier. 

Now I'm irritated at all the great regional brews that don't make it to Northern Nevada. Bells, Dogfish Head, Stone, Victory, Three Floyds... The list is extensive.

You can get a lot of free beer in Reno, but you get what you pay for.


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## rumballs (Mar 15, 2005)

not west of mississippi, but they do have Bell's on tap at my local bar, pretty good.

I haven't had Pete's Wicked Ale forever (well, at least since I moved to Chicago). Gotta find where I can buy that around here. Just looked on line and I don't like the new labels nearly as much as the ones they used to have (though I don't remember exactly what thye looked like)


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

mmblz said:


> not west of mississippi, but they do have Bell's on tap at my local bar, pretty good.


 Chicago is the first place I had Bells on tap. Wish I could remeber the name of the place. I remember great quesadillas and that pale ale. Somewhere within a few miles of George St, The Vic, Anne Sather's as I recall. Village something tavern, perhaps...


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## fitzsmoke (Mar 9, 2006)

D. Generate said:


> Growing up in Seattle it was all Lucky Lager, Olympia and Rainier.


In the sixties we called Rainier Ale "The green death" due to it's strength and the next day fallout!:u


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## jeffin7 (Jun 5, 2006)

They don't brew it in Bmore anymore? Then what is going on in that building with the huge neon Natty Boh head that floats over baltimore nights like a one-eye full moon?



jgros001 said:


> National Bohemian, ie Natty Boh. Used to be made in Maryland, now production has moved to PA and been bought out by a big company (not sure which one). A personal fave cheap beer, still in production. Used to be made in gernades - great bottle shape...wish more beers came in that format (Red Stripe does but I can't stand the stuff). "from the land of pleasant living"


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## jeffin7 (Jun 5, 2006)

We don't get it in MD but I have traded for a lot of bells stuff and went to a Bells beer dinner in DC. Great stuff. I actually have 1 bottle of Trumpeters Stout in my cellar, hopefully its not to far past its prime. The 2 hearted and Third Coast are probably my two favorites. I have a couple bottles of Eccentric Ale, very odd but pretty nice stuff. All around a great brewery.



whiteboard said:


> Any of you guys west of the Mississippi see Bell's from Kalamazoo, Michigan on the shelves? They've been slowly widening distribution. Not sure if they qualify as a regional anymore, but some damn fine beer. They used to release a bunch of November stouts, but misstepped one year when they released 14. A few of the brews with nicer packaging and more acceessible profiles made it in to their regular line -- cherry stout and java stout. But the best of the bunch -- IMO -- got left behind: Trumpeter's Stout. One of the best stouts I ever had. I still e-mail them periodically pleading my case for its reintroduction.


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## jgros001 (Jun 14, 2005)

jeffin7 said:


> They don't brew it in Bmore anymore? Then what is going on in that building with the huge neon Natty Boh head that floats over baltimore nights like a one-eye full moon?


Don't brew it here anymore but that one-eyed mascot is all over the place - not sure what is in that building....but it is not a brewery for natty boh. Love that neon sign though.


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## jgros001 (Jun 14, 2005)

jeffin7 said:


> They don't brew it in Bmore anymore? Then what is going on in that building with the huge neon Natty Boh head that floats over baltimore nights like a one-eye full moon?


A little research on the building - called Natty Boh Towers - apts and offices. Couple of pics


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## Guest (Jun 15, 2006)

Being in the south i miss the beer of my college years: Leinenkugel's or Leinie'sas it is known is one great regional brewing company. The Honey Weiss :al is one of my all time favs and their Big Butt doppelbock is also killer.

One regional brew that i really miss now that it is dead and gone is Crooked River's Black Forest Lager which came from Cleveland.


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## Lumpold (Apr 28, 2005)

Carling Black Label is still available, just not in the US. Over here we just call it Carling. And serve it on tap in my pub.


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

jeffin7 said:


> We don't get it in MD but I have traded for a lot of bells stuff and went to a Bells beer dinner in DC. Great stuff. I actually have 1 bottle of Trumpeters Stout in my cellar, hopefully its not to far past its prime. The 2 hearted and Third Coast are probably my two favorites. I have a couple bottles of Eccentric Ale, very odd but pretty nice stuff. All around a great brewery.


 Love the Two-hearted... So tasty you want to suck it down...but careful, it will knock you on your arse! Third Coast is good, too. Best Brown is also one of the better browns I've had.


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## fitzsmoke (Mar 9, 2006)

Lumpold said:


> Carling Black Label is still available, just not in the US. Over here we just call it Carling. And serve it on tap in my pub.


Yeah I remember my first trip to Canada (B.C.) in 1972 I was having a hard time trying to buy some beer. It was (is?) only sold in liquor stores or bars. I finally located a liquor store and I had to buy a case, it was warm, and nothing on display. So I asked the l.s. clerk what beers they had (no display) and I bought some Carling as it was the only name I was familiar with. Went back to the hotel and iced it down in the sink. It turned out to be pretty good beer.


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## Ermo (Jun 3, 2006)

mmmmmmm....Bell's Expedition Stout :dr Best beer ever.


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## LSUTIGER (Jan 13, 2004)

My grandpa used to drink Dixie


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## Wetterhorn (Apr 1, 2004)

Well, I am old enough to remember when Coors was our regional beer...  

Being in Fort Collins, Colorado, I am blessed by a ton of breweries. One that is becoming more and more national is New Belgium. The New Belgium Fat Tire is quite good.


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## Baric (Jun 14, 2006)

There used to be a really strong beer called Barley Wine that used to be on sale over here in the UK, but, to my knowledge, is no longer produced. You can still buy barley wines but not Barley Wine the brand, if that makes sense.


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## Corona Gigante-cl (Sep 8, 2005)

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Jennings' Sneck Lifter

_In northern dialect _sneck _means door latch and a sneck lifter was a man's last sixpence which enabled him to lift the latch of a pub door and buy himself a pint, hoping to meet friends there who might treat him to one or two more._​


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## fitzsmoke (Mar 9, 2006)

Anyone ever drink Buckhorn? (a Northwest brand) It was (is?) one micro-step up from "Beer" beer.


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## Steve (Jan 18, 2006)

I like beer.


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## Andyman (Jun 8, 2004)

Root said:


> Being in the south i miss the beer of my college years: Leinenkugel's or Leinie'sas it is known is one great regional brewing company. The Honey Weiss :al is one of my all time favs and their Big Butt doppelbock is also killer.
> 
> One regional brew that i really miss now that it is dead and gone is Crooked River's Black Forest Lager which came from Cleveland.


Leinies Honey Weiss.. Chippewa Falls WI.. That is my favorate!


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

Lumpold said:


> Carling Black Label is still available, just not in the US. Over here we just call it Carling. And serve it on tap in my pub.


I use to see it here in the red cans and it was the worst beer marketed in the USA. I bet the UK version is good. That stuff was like $8 a case...


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

If you are in the New England area, Ipswich Ale is a great local brew. Sold in big jugs like in prohibition and the lasts for several days once opened. Great beer for a group of people to enjoy together.


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## Bigd417 (Aug 18, 2006)

Lone Star "The party beer of Texas" was the stable when I went to college. Still being made, but lost most of it's markey share to the big guys. Tried it again recently, and realized that maybe that was a good thing.:w


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## Alpedhuez55 (Dec 16, 2005)

mosesbotbol said:


> I use to see it here in the red cans and it was the worst beer marketed in the USA. I bet the UK version is good. That stuff was like $8 a case...


Sweetwaters in the Alley near the Common used to have Carling Black Label on tap for $0.99. THough I cannot say I it was all that memorable. Though I am not sure if that is because it was nothing special, or if at $0.99 I just drank enough each night to kill the braincells that remembered how it tasted that evening :al


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## kheffelf (Jul 31, 2006)

Bells is definitely the way to go, oberon, amber ale, expedition, their expedition is one of the top rated stouts.

http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer/bells-expedition-stout/3214/


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## TU09 (Mar 26, 2006)

Abita makes a lot of good beer and is a staple here in NOLA. Their octoberfest, Abita Amber, is a very solid inexpensive beer. My favorite bar sells it for $6 a pitcher and I prefer it over many beers of a similar style that cost more than twice as much. Really cheap by the Keg too, around $80 at an exchange (about $0.50 a beer).


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## JohnnyFlake (May 31, 2006)

Wetterhorn said:


> Well, I am old enough to remember when Coors was our regional beer...
> 
> Being in Fort Collins, Colorado, I am blessed by a ton of breweries. One that is becoming more and more national is New Belgium. The New Belgium Fat Tire is quite good.


New Belgium Beers are some of my favorites. They now have at least eight styles, maybe more, and the prices are very reasonable. Fat Tire is a very nice beer!

Johnny


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## fitzsmoke (Mar 9, 2006)

I am still trying to find some Sam Adams Light in Oregon at the regular outlets. No luck so far. I had some Cascade Brewing (Bend, Oregon) Blonde Bombshell a few weeks ago...very nice pale-type micro-brew.:u


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## glovepuppy (Aug 4, 2004)

Odell Brewing Co. out of Fort Collins makes some pretty good beers - 90 Schilling being the best IMHO.

Another company that is making good beer that may be more regional than I think, but just recently got here to the sticks is Rogue Brewery out of Oregon. Their Dead Guy Ale and Chocolate Stout are awesome.

Gotta mention Grain Belt as well. Not a top-shelf beer by any standards, but I still like the stuff. It's Premium!!


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

Just had a case of Sweetwater 420 Pale Ale from Atlanta. Good stuff...


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## Darb85 (Jan 30, 2005)

whiteboard said:


> Any of you guys west of the Mississippi see Bell's from Kalamazoo, Michigan on the shelves? They've been slowly widening distribution. Not sure if they qualify as a regional anymore, but some damn fine beer. They used to release a bunch of November stouts, but misstepped one year when they released 14. A few of the brews with nicer packaging and more acceessible profiles made it in to their regular line -- cherry stout and java stout. But the best of the bunch -- IMO -- got left behind: Trumpeter's Stout. One of the best stouts I ever had. I still e-mail them periodically pleading my case for its reintroduction.


me likey bells, Oberon is the best.


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